Closed entry socket



May 30, 1967 will!!! 2 FIG. I

D. A. EICKMIER 3,323,101

CLOSED ENTRY SOCKET Filed Dec. 14, 1964 United States Patent 3,323,101 CLOSED ENTRY SOCKET Doratlly Anne Eickmier, 21789 Cree Trail,

Chatsworth, Qalif. 91311 Filed Dec. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 418,030 1 Claim. (Ci. 339-256) This invention relates to socket type contacts used in many electrical connector assemblies.

A complete circuit is accomplished in the electrical connector assemblies by means of socket spring pressure as suring continuity with mated male pin contacts.

The closed entry socket contact defines a socket contact which prevents the entry of an oversize probe or pin contact that could cause damage or destroy any one or all functions of the socket contact.

if his closed entry contact, because of the closure design presents many new features and will contribute to versatility in connector design by virtue of the objects described hereafter which will be well understood by designers working in the electronic connector field.

The first feature is a single piece socket which provides for greater electrical and mechanical stability.

The second is the unique formation of the closed entry portion of the contact. The illustrations show the assembly and closure procedure. The spring is loaded into the socket. Pressure is then applied to the top of the socket causing a bead to be internally forged in a predetermined area. This feature alone opens a new field of connector design which will be readily apparent to those in the art. This closure permits operations such as welding, brazing, soldering, glass sealing, molding, etc., which were not heretofore possible with multi-pin connectors using single piece sockets because of the inaccessability of spring installation or socket closure. These sockets after being welded, brazed, soldered, glass sealed or molded into a connector can be easily loaded with springs and closed in a plane perpendicular to the face of the socket regardless of socket spacing. The bead forged under closure pressure serves two purposes: First, it retains the spring, second, it forms the restrictive diameter necessary for a closed entry socket.

The third feature relates to the contact assembly after closure which is free from external projections and free of openings exposing the spring member, with the exception of the entry orifice.

The fourth encompasses the spring member which is protected, retained atnd disposed entirely within the socket contact.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of spring member.

FIG. 2 is a top View of spring member loaded into socket member.

FIG. 3 is a cross section thru spring and socket members after closure, illustrating active spring pressure on phantom mated male pin.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of socket member.

FIG. 5 is a section view showing spring member loaded in socket member.

FIG. 6 is a section thru the closed entry socket contact after closure and illustrates in phantom a mated male pin.

The socket member 6 as illustrated contains a standard solder pot 3 on one end and a special socket on the other end which is developed by four machine operations drill 7 counter drill 8 countersink 9 and groove 4.

The first drilling 7 is of sufficient diameter and depth to receive a mating male pin. The counter drill 8 serves as a stop and Well for the spring member 5. The countersink 9 functions as a lead for a mating male pin 10. The groove 4 locates the closed entry forging area and determines the ice orifice size of the closure bead 1. The closure head 1 also retains the spring 5.

The spring member 5 as illustrated 1's tubular in structure containing two indentations 2 approximately 60 apart. A wide range of mating forces can be obtained by the indentation design.

Materials and complete methods of manufacture have not been outlined here but would be consistent with product requirements, good design and available production methods.

I have thus described my invention, but desire it understood that this contact is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from. the spirit of my invention, and therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, since the particular embodiments herein shown and described, are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

I claim:

A conductive closed entry socket contact comprising:

a conductive cylindrical socket contact body having at one end a means for engagement with a conductor, at the other socket end a first longitudinal bore for receiving a mating male pin, said first bore coaxially joining a second longitudinal wider bore forming a fiat annular stop between said bores, said second bore intersecting an annular chamfer extending outwardly and terminating on said other ends surface, said surface is perpendicular to the aXis of the socket contact body, said other end having an annular groove on its outside opposite said second bore; and

a resilient member, for exerting pressure against said mating male pin, is generally tubular in structure and being of uniform thickness having two longitudinal tapering indentations less than apart, said indentation reduce the cross-sectional area on one end of said resilient member so that said resilient member has a large end and a small end, said resilient member is disposed and retained within the said second bore of the socket contact body with said small end against said stop and said large end against an internal annular bead of the socket contact body which is formed during a contact closure procedure whereby pressure exerted parallel with the axis of the socket contact body results in an annular mass of material between the said second bore and the external annular groove being forged inwardly and reducing the opening of the said second bore by a sufiicient amount thereby permanently captivating the resilient member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,158,425 11/ 1964 Pritulsky 339-258 3,218,606 11/ 1965 Schultz 339-256 3,237,149 2/1966 West 339-256 FOREIGN PATENTS 944,875 l l/ 1948 France. 1,3 06,707 9/:1962 France.

247,536 1 2/ 1947 Switzerland.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Examiner.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

